Music has the magical ability to synchronize with you, with your inner, with the elements around you. I sat looking out of the window as the wind was swirling around the trees, clouds, heavy with rain, fleeting crystal blue spaces between them all lit by the rich autumn sun as I pressed play on Antony Raine's new EP 'Farewell To Arms', then all fell into the same point. Opener 'Tommy' is an elegiac tale of the lost solider in the poppy fields. But this is no twee recounting of a well-worn story. 'Tommy' has an ethereal quality to it, that is measured, respectful and quietly powerful. It is a delivered with Raine's rich and impassioned, well-worn voice and on some perfectly measured and expertly crafted music. Raine has a timbre that is similar to Brain Fallon, and he is hewn from the some rock as Fallon's Horrible Crowes project as well as contemporaries such as Israel Nash Gripka and Sean Rowe.
'Casaparasio' is fuller and brighter than 'Tommy', but not less impactful. It then lifts on a shimmering chorus that shines like the sun through those clouds. We hear of lost souls, all on their own journey, where "she took her whiskey straight and hard" and "women loved with flames". 'Casaparasio' has a quietly epic scope and a velvet glove fist-hit that entices and draws you in reminiscent of Steve Earle at his best. A measured, triumph of a song. When Raine sat down and penned 'Desperate Times' he must of known that there would be inevitable Springsteen comparisons drawn. But then when you channel 'Born To Run' and 'The River' so magically well, it truly doesn't matter. This is a song built to be sang from the rooftops, there are earthier Waterboys inflections in there as well, but regardless, if this came on the radio while driving you would wind the windows down and turn it right up. 'Nuff said. Closer of this shining EP is 'Silhouettes'. Another rich, passionate song. It's cut from the same cloth as 'Desperate Times', and has an irresistible accessibility and quality built into it. Antony Raine may not be breaking new ground, but when you have songs as rewarding and realised as we are given here, all you care about is hearing them again.
Download 'Silhouettes' for free by heading here
Antony Raine's website
Buy the EP
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I bought and listened to this EP some time ago and was very impressed. I was lucky enough to meet Antony and his lovely girlfriend Holly at a party recently. Having spoken to him I realised that whilst I had been listening I was not really hearing, especially to the lyrics. I should have realised from the brilliant artwork, and the EP title that there were more to offer than I first thought. Americana springs to mind, but given I was brought up on Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and the Eagles et al, this is a huge compliment. A wonderful set of songs, and I hope he achieves the success that this deserves. My challenge to the readers is try to spot influences, and then come to the same conclusion as me i.e. they Re Antony Raine's songs.
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